"How I stay fit series, Zahra's Workout Secrets"
Very often I come across women who are super women, they do it all, work, workout, handle tantrums - kids and husbands, manage a home, a business and they do it all so effortlessly and elegantly...that they leave people like me wondering "how just how do they do it all"..
To add they have gorgeous skin, lustrous hair and bikini bodies to die for...and I find myself wondering again.."is there something wrong with me?" All I want to do is tip toe into their life and get to know all their secrets...
If you are like me and want to know all the fitness, fashion and beauty secret...if you want a sneak peek into the lives of some fabulous people...you have come to the right place..
Today I am getting Zahra to reveal all her carefully guarded fitness secrets..
Needless to say Zahra is one of those fabulously talented ladies who juggles many roles..she writes a lovely blog lovezahra she has a day job, she is mother to an adorable 2yr old boy and she always looks stunning.
She is one of those people with a warm and infectious smile, she makes you wanna know her better....I am sure she regrets it now...thanks to a slew of my mails that have been flooding her inbox lately..
Have you always been health and fitness conscious?
Very often I come across women who are super women, they do it all, work, workout, handle tantrums - kids and husbands, manage a home, a business and they do it all so effortlessly and elegantly...that they leave people like me wondering "how just how do they do it all"..
To add they have gorgeous skin, lustrous hair and bikini bodies to die for...and I find myself wondering again.."is there something wrong with me?" All I want to do is tip toe into their life and get to know all their secrets...
If you are like me and want to know all the fitness, fashion and beauty secret...if you want a sneak peek into the lives of some fabulous people...you have come to the right place..
Today I am getting Zahra to reveal all her carefully guarded fitness secrets..
Needless to say Zahra is one of those fabulously talented ladies who juggles many roles..she writes a lovely blog lovezahra she has a day job, she is mother to an adorable 2yr old boy and she always looks stunning.
She is one of those people with a warm and infectious smile, she makes you wanna know her better....I am sure she regrets it now...thanks to a slew of my mails that have been flooding her inbox lately..
How I Stay Fit : Zahra's Workout Secrets
Image : lovezahra.com |
Have you always been health and fitness conscious?
Growing up I was
always active but never really made a conscious effort to be healthy - when I started working full-time and getting into a sedentary routine I gained a few pounds, thats when I began to really make time for
fitness.
Once I had my baby,
I gained a really strong appreciation for what my body is capable of. Not only
did I want to fit in my old clothes again, but I wanted to be healthy and
live a long time for my little boy.
What was your
workout routine like when you were pregnant?
During pregnancy I
kept exercise very simple, went for walks and practiced pre-natal yoga.
How did it change after pregnancy?
After giving
birth to my son, the biggest change in my life was that all of a
sudden I had no free time
to work out, so I had to consciously make it a priority, rather than just work
out when I was in the mood to do so. Also, I gained 50 pounds while pregnant,
so for me to feel like myself again it was very important for me to get back in
shape in a healthy way.
It took an entire year for me to lose the extra pounds.
I now alternate baby duties in the evenings with my husband, so that I can work
out 2-3 nights a week.
How long after giving birth did you get back
to working out?
I had a c-section with some additional complications after, so I
was on strict no-excercise orders from my doctor. After about 2 months I
started going for walks and just made sure to be as active as possible.
Sometimes I'd have fun with my baby and do dead lifts while holding him, or I'd
lay on the floor and do bench presses with him as my weight bar.
He loved it and would crack up laughing every time he went up.
You have a 2yr old
son, a job, a blog..how do you manage it all and still make time for a workout?
Sometimes the
workout has to take a back seat - to be completely honest. But I think the key
is balance - if I know I'm not going to workout, I just make sure not to
indulge too much that day and the next. Or I try to run around a little more
with my 2 year old son, he wears me out!
So what is your
fitness inspiration?
My goal isn't to
reach any particular size or number on a scale, but rather to feel good
mentally and physically. I always feel much more confident after I know I've
worked out and put in that time just for me.
Image : lovezahra.com |
What is your
fitness routine like now?
The only excercise
that I do regularly is hot yoga - if I can't get to my yoga studio,
I will go for a run. I'd say I work out 2-3 times a week for 1.5-2 hours.
The Details
The hot yoga
classes I go are full body workouts and very
challenging.
When I run, it is usually on the treadmill - about 3
miles.
I do plan to do a few 5-10K races this year, and that is a huge
motivator for me to continue to train.
What is a day in
Zahra's plate like?
My typical day M-F
consists of
Breakfast: a
protein shake and a cup of coffee or tea without sugar,
Lunch: soup/salad
or a turkey sandwich.
Dinner:salad with
some protein like chicken or fish.
Snacks: I don't really snack very
often - but if I do its probably some trail mix or fruit.
Weekends: I pretty
much eat whatever I want.
Things you make sure you eat.
My protein shake
is: Greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, banana, protein powder, and ice.
My husband is a health nut and got me hooked on these.
Your
indulgences..
I have too many to
list - but if I am going to name just a few, I'd say I'm
obsessed with fresh guacamole and chips, wood fired pizza- my
favorite is margherita- just tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese,
and I have recently become obsessed with Macaroons for dessert!
How often do you
indulge in these?
I never deny myself of anything - just ask my
husband! If I have a pizza lunch, I'll make sure to have a salad for
dinner. If I really go overboard, like if I go to an amazing
italian restaurant and have a pasta and dessert - I will be extra good the next
day and have a protein shake for breakfast, and salad with chicken
for lunch and fish and veggies for dinner.
Get skinny tip
One tip I have for losing weight or
just maintaining your weight is to stop eating out as much. If I want to
drop 2-5 pounds quickly, I will just cut out any food that is processed or from
an outside restaurant.
Such a brilliant post..thanks Abhi!! I think Zahra is a super woman too..I'm very impressed with her dedication to stay fit..I'm feeling inspired now :-)
ReplyDeleteLove
K
klassystylefiles.blogspot.com.au
We all need some inspiration from time to time...thats the whole point of the blog...glad it inspired you..im inspired too...
Deletelove
fab post abhi :) .... very informative :)
ReplyDeletewww.beautyfrontline.com
Glad you liked Gowthami
DeleteThis is a brilliant post, not to mention that Zahra is absolutely stunning.
ReplyDeleteI know she is so pretty....n fit too..
DeleteVery nice post and lovely blog :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jyoti for visiting...was it your first time around here??
DeleteI am so glad you enjoyed your time here...thanks for dropping by and commenting...means a lot to me..
hope to c u more often now...have added you to my circle on G+
thanks again
love
Im a proud mother of Zahra shah im inspired ,lost twenty pounds in ayear keeping it still here and there i asked heath tips from her.keep it up good work!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Abhi for featuring me - at first I thought my diet and fitness routine wasn't worthy of writing about since I don't lift weights or do any major workout routine. But after the responses I've received from friends and family after they read this article, I realize that it is important for us to share - even the smallest amount of effort to workout or eat well can make a huge difference! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteBtw that is my mom commenting above :) :) She lost 20 lbs. in a year - I'M the proud one!
Zahra
Thank you for the tips! What protein powder do you use?
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Zahra is one of my really good friends and knowing her FOR SURE makes you happier person! One of the most intelligent, beautiful, creative women that I have ever known. It's a pleasure not only to know Zahra, but to work with her and just spend time with her and her family!
ReplyDeleteIt was again a pleasure reading about Zahra and with all my heart I wish nothing but the best in everything what she does! She is an inspiration to all of us!
This is such an informative post.. love the versatility of your blog! and Zahra is omg really fit and doesn't look like a mother..
ReplyDeleteHot yoga? I wanna try :)
ReplyDeletehttp://sassyelegance.blogspot.in/